Coventry-based Aurrigo International plc has secured more than £1 million in grants to accelerate work on sustainable airport and transport innovations, strengthening the West Midlands’ role as a hub for cutting-edge mobility technology.
Backing from national programmes
The company, which employs over 110 people at its advanced engineering centre in Coventry, has received support from the Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) Pathfinder – Enhancements programme and Innovate UK’s Launchpad initiative. The funding will enable four new projects, ranging from simulation and feasibility studies to real-world autonomous vehicle trials at East Midlands Airport, in the Orkney Islands, and within the West Midlands itself.
The Pathfinder programme is funded by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), a joint unit between the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Transport, delivered with Innovate UK and Zenzic.
Industry collaboration
Aurrigo will work closely with partners including International Airlines Group, Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership and Urban Foresight. These collaborations will support both airside operations and rural mobility solutions, while ensuring commercial viability and regulatory alignment.
David Keene, CEO of Aurrigo International, said the awards show the company’s determination to build “the next generation of intelligent, sustainable, and scalable transport systems that operate in both urban and airside operations.” He added: “This funding helps us to accelerate and, importantly, prove technologies in the real world, speeding up adoption and ensuring the UK continues to lead the world when it comes to autonomous vehicle deployment.”
Four projects in detail
Ramp Ready: The Future of Airport Logistics
Worth nearly £700,000, this large-scale project will see autonomous cargo and shuttle vehicles deployed at East Midlands Airport to refine multi-vehicle fleet operations. It focuses on environmental testing, advanced simulations, and modular manufacturing to cut costs and support scalability.
Runway to Autonomy
In partnership with IAG, this £99,000 feasibility study will examine how to remove the need for onboard operators in autonomous baggage handling vehicles. It will create frameworks for safety, cybersecurity and certification to support fully driverless adoption at airports.
Kirkwall AutoLink
Led by Urban Foresight with support from HITRANS and Aurrigo, this £134,000 study will assess the viability of a zero-emission autonomous shuttle between Kirkwall Harbour and Airport in Orkney. The project will test local acceptance, technical feasibility and regulatory requirements, with the aim of supporting decarbonisation and reducing reliance on private cars.
Visualising Airside Baggage Operation (VABO)
This £98,000 project will enhance Aurrigo’s Auto-Sim platform by adding immersive virtual reality features. Developed with Unity, the platform will allow airports to train staff and plan operations in 3D environments, including weather effects and real-time interaction.
Strengthening the region’s role
Mark Cracknell, Programme Director at Zenzic, said: “Aurrigo is a fantastic example of the calibre of company leading the way for the UK CAM sector… These projects will provide an opportunity to demonstrate the commercial readiness of the technology while also providing valuable insight into future opportunities and use.”
For the West Midlands, the funding reinforces the region’s role at the forefront of innovation in autonomous and sustainable transport, showcasing Coventry’s expertise to national and global partners.
